CH 87

[————–<Blazing Circle Cut>!]

Unleashing a single swing of flames, I knocked out all three bees at once.

Only, one bee was out of range of my slash but……

[————–<Homing Shot>.]

Our party’s prided sniper, Prana, a Scout/Archer, easily killed it.

[Alright! Easy-peasy!]

Looking around, there’s no sign of further reinforcement for the bees.

Convinced that we had finally annihilated all of the Killer Bees, I struck a triumphant pose.

[Even though we’re up against weaker enemies, you shouldn’t let your guard down too much.]

I was calmly chided by my partner, Nuku.

Being watchful of everything is this guy’s strong point.

It’s just……

[Yeah, that’s what I thought at first too, but you know……]

It’s been three days since we started exterminating bees.

In the beginning, we had to fight carefully against these bees that moved fast and were numerous in number.

However, these bees, monsters known as <Killer Bees>, including the subspecies, are all much weaker than us.

Rex told us that the lowest level of these bees was about Lv 10, and even the highest level was about Lv 20.

They are only about half our level.

They can be killed with a single attack, and we take almost no damage from any kind of attack.

Their poison and paralysis are a threat, so we can’t really afford to get hit by their stinger attacks, but if we play our cards right, they aren’t opponents we can’t lose against.

[Besides, continuously fighting them is getting boring.]

[You think so? I don’t really mind this that much.]

Saying this, Nuku smiled with satisfaction.

[We got tasty drops, and there are lots of enemies, so it’s a good way for us to improve our proficiencies. If you consider them as partners to improve your strength, there’s no better partner for us.]

""

[That’s true, but these battles are a little plain……]

In response to my muttering of complaints, Prana exaggeratedly let out a sigh.

[The heck is with you?]

When I instinctively snapped at her, Prana looked at me with ice-cold eyes.

[Monsters are supposed to be finite. However, you should question yourself why are we fighting so many monsters that you have gotten tired of it.]

I was at a loss for words at the sharp point she made.

She has a sharp mouth, but she’s strangely sharp. I mean, her mind is regrettably faster than mine.

However, it’s annoying to keep silent when she’s acting like that around me, so I retorted.

[If it’s strange that there are so many enemies, then what’s the reason? Are you saying that these monsters just increased on their own?]

[I don’t know? However, I’m sure getting rid of all these weaklings isn’t just a training exercise.]

[How the heck would you even know that!?]

When I said that, Prana glanced sideways.

Looking toward the direction of her line of sight, I also inadvertently agreed.

Standing there was our companion and Rex’s younger sister.

A ninja who wields two swords.

[……Rex expressly sent her on this adventure. If there’s nothing going on, Rex wouldn’t have sent her to accompany us.]

I hate to admit it, but Resilia’s strength is higher in rank than ours.

In that case, there’s something out of place in the fact that Resilia came along in exterminating these bees that even we could easily defeat.

[Ummm……]

But there, Mana, who seemed to be just silently thinking about this herself, spoke.

[It was written in a book I read a long time ago, so I only vaguely remember it…… but what Radd-kun said may be correct.]

[Eh?]

Mana does say crazy stuff like these sometimes.

That part of her is also mysteriously cute…… Ah, no, that’s very informative.

[Normally, monsters are born from magic power. However, according to that book, there are some insect-type monsters that are born from a “Queen”.]

[Then, could it be……]

When I asked, Mana solemnly nodded.

[Yes. Somewhere out there, there may have been a “Queen Bee” who gave birth to all these bees.]

At those words, I gulped down.

My earlier words, about these bees being weak, are based on the “current us”.

If it had been us who were just starting out three months ago, no, if we hadn’t been lucky enough to meet Master, we would have been easily defeated by these bees.

And now, if there was an entity that could give birth tens or hundreds of such bees, it would be a tremendous threat.

Moreover, Mana’s story didn’t end there.

[Besides, the threat of the “Queen Bee” isn’t limited to its ability to increase the number of its allies. It was written in the book that the Queen boasts strength that was incomparable to that of an ordinary bee. Having known this, Rex-san sent out Resilia-san to accompany us. ……Am I mistaken?]

Those last words were directed to Resilia, who was standing a short distance away from us and looking in the direction of the town.

Having been questioned, Resilia moved her gaze away from the town and narrowed her eyes.

[……I suppose being too perceptive could also be a problem.]

[Then, as she had said……]

At my words, Resilia clearly nodded.

[Yes. Nii-san mentioned the possibility of a Queen Bee being born. Moreover……]

Her gaze moves behind us, piercing through a conspicuous large tree standing on the hill.

[I was told only one spot nearby where the Queen Bee may live in. I was also told that if your party wants to face it, I can bring you there.]]

[……Eh?]

That is a suggestion I hadn’t expected.

[Nii-san said that the chance of the Queen Bee being there wasn’t very high. However, if by some chance your party ends up fighting the Queen Bee there, we would have to face a difficult battle.]

The words Resilia spoke were exerting pressure on us.

An enemy that would make us face a difficult battle, even with the help of an Adventurer as powerful as Resilia.

Having this thought in mind, I involuntarily shivered.

[Even if that’s the case, will you still go?]

However……!

[————-That’s obvious!]

[————-Of course we will.]

[————-W- We will go!]

[————-Obviously!]

The voices of us four overlapped.

We didn’t hesitate for even a second.

This Queen Bee isn’t an enemy that we can take lightly.

However, us Adventurers have always been idiots who run into danger ourselves, and even the seemingly smart Nuku, Mana and Prana are no different.

Besides……

(I’m Master’s…… I’m a “Hero’s” disciple.)

I don’t know what Master thinks about this matter, but that is what I think, and that is something I’m proud of!)

[He knew you all would say this.]

With a smile, Resilia started to walk with steady steps.

[—————In that case, follow me. Let’s go meet the head of these bugs.]

※　※　※

In conclusion……

We never encountered the Queen Bee.

No, it isn’t that our trip was completely fruitless.

There was a huge hive there, completely different in scale from anything we had ever seen before, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if there really had been a Queen Bee there.

[……Eh?]

However, it had fallen into a gaping hole in the ground, crumbled to pieces.

[Eh, what the heck, eh……?]

The end came so quickly.

What are the odds that there’s a hole under the Queen Bee’s hive by chance, and the hive just falls into it?

I have no idea what was going on, but in any case, the resulting hive, which had been dropped from a considerable hive, was shattered into pieces.

If there was anything inside, it was probably no longer alive.

[……It doesn’t seem like we’re of any use here anymore. Let’s go back to town.]

As we’re unable to hide how shaken we are from the unexpected ending, it was Resilia’s calm voice that brought us back to ourselves.

Leaving us still in a state of surprise, she quietly walked back to town.

After we exchanged glances with each other for a moment, we quickly rushed after Resilia.

※　※　※

As Resilia led the way at a brisk pace, around the time I was wondering if we were about to see Frelia town……

[The sun was still high in the sky. Is it alright if we pack things up so early?]

Nuku murmured worriedly as we walked.

Indeed, we were returning much earlier than planned.

I can understand why he’s curious about this.

However……

[Hmmm, well, isn’t it fine? It’s Resilia who was taking the lead in returning anyway.]

I don’t really care either way.

In fact, it’s true that the incident with the Queen Bee dampened my enthusiasm, so it’s a bit hard emotionally to go through another boring bee extermination session.

Besides, the “Queen Bee’s hive falling into a hole” is probably a situation that even Rex hadn’t anticipated.

And so, I felt it would be better to go back to town and meet up with him as soon as possible.

……I wonder what the other thinks though.

Having that in mind, I suddenly became curious and looked behind me. For some reason, Prana seemed somewhat highly strung and wary of the surroundings, while Mana frowned, as if she had something she was worried about.

[What’s wrong, Mana?]

Mana lifted her face at my words, but her face still looked gloomy.

""

[Ummm…… I feel like the book about the Queen Bee also contains other information, something very important. It’s just, I can’t remember……]

Even the worried Mana is so cu…… No, being her comrade, I’m worried for her, but I don’t really think she should worry herself about something that’s already passed.

[I don’t think you should worry about it too much? I mean, it seems that the Queen Bee is already dead anyway.]

[I…… suppose so.]

At my encouragement, Mana smiled awkwardly, but her expression still didn’t clear up.

When I opened my mouth again, about to cheer her up……

[Radd! Something’s wrong in town!]

Nuku shouted something in an unusually distraught tone.

As Prana put an arrow to her bow, Resilia told us that she would be going on ahead, before running ahead of the party.

[Wha!? O- Oi!]

Not knowing what was going on, we followed suit.

※　※　※

At first, I didn’t understand what was going on.

However, as we became closer to Frelia town, something became undeniably visible.

[What the heck is that……]

Looking closely, I can see some kind of black stain stuck to the exterior walls here and there.

[Kuh!]

Suddenly, Prana, who was running next to me, drew her bow and fired an arrow at the black stain on the outer wall.

[O- Oi!]

I reflexively yelled out to stop her, but my voice was cut off when the arrow hit the black stain and that black thing peeled off.

[What the heck is going on!?]

As I couldn’t understand what was going on at all, those words reflexively leaked out of my mouth.

However, the answer came from an unexpected source.

[……Huh?]

Just as we were about to arrive at the town, the ground in front of us bulged.

And then, at the same time……

[————-I remembered now! It’s their natural enemy!]

Mana’s voice came from right behind me.

Normally, listening to her voice is something I wouldn’t mind doing whenever the situation, but I couldn’t pay attention to it now.

The ground beneath our feet explodes, revealing a black hole in the ground.

No, it wasn’t just a hole that appeared.

[<Killer Bees> had natural enemies other than people! In the air and aboveground, in the trees and underground! Even though they live in different habitats, they’re natural enemies that fight for their kind’s survival and would continuously fight each other!]

The first thing that stuck out of the hole were two slender “sticks”.

It wasn’t until after the creature emerged from the hole that I realized that the black, “stick”-like objects were “that creature’s” antennae.

[<Killer Bee>’s natural enemy! Another insect-type monster that is in a fierce territorial battle with the bees, and its name is……!]

I could understand what their natural enemy was without even needing her to say it.

Those black “things” about 50 cm long crawled up one after another from the hole in the ground.

—————A body covered with hard carapace.

—————A uniquely constricted form.

—————Long, slender antennae and limbs.

—————And strong jaws that bite and crush their prey.

Those things, crawling out of the hole……

[—————<Killer Ant>! Murderous ants that kill and eat people!]